In one configuration, a mold of such a blow molding machine comprises two half molds for forming the shoulder and the main body of the containers, and a mold bottom for forming the bottom of the containers. The two half molds are hinged relative to one another about an axis. They are moved relative to one another between a mold-closed blow-molding position and a mold-open position in which the shaped container is removed. The mold bottom is moved vertically between the mold-closed and mold-open positions.
Centering and locking components are fixed to the half molds and to the bottom to provide centering and form the molding cavity accurately thus preventing flash at the parting line.
However, the centering and locking components have to be regularly lubricated. Such maintenance operations require the blow molding installation to be stopped and, more generally, the entire container production line to be shut down.
These stoppages reduce the production rates and increase the cost of manufacture of the containers. In addition, these maintenance operations are carried out under conditions that are relatively difficult for the operators involved, notably in terms of the ambient temperature obtaining around the machine.
Furthermore, these lubricating operations sometimes contaminate the molds.
It is a particular object of the invention to eliminate these maintenance operations.